


Flaming Idiot

by lamarina, warmgun



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, M/M, a quick little two part fluff fic cuz i love chansoo, chansoo is so good, chanyeol is really stupid and a horrible barista, kyungsoo is perfect as usual, not 2ho? amazing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 04:05:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7961764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lamarina/pseuds/lamarina, https://archiveofourown.org/users/warmgun/pseuds/warmgun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Chansoo is the cutest and most pure couple in existence. Also, the title isn't a song for once. But the chapter title is!</p>
    </blockquote>





	Flaming Idiot

**Author's Note:**

> Chansoo is the cutest and most pure couple in existence. Also, the title isn't a song for once. But the chapter title is!

Chanyeol was going to be late for work.

Again.

He slept through his alarm for what was probably the second or third time that week. Without fail, it seemed like Chanyeol couldn’t go a few days without oversleeping by over half an hour.

He skipped the shower and got dressed as quickly as he could. He dug a comb through his hair and tried to get it to resemble some sort of style.

Chanyeol ran a hand through his hair and felt how greasy it was. He pulled a face and picked up his toothbrush and swiped it a few times over his teeth. He was really, really going to be late and his manager was going to be pissed.

He rushed out the door and into his car. He stuck the key in the ignition and hoped that today, just today, his car would start without any difficulty. He smacked the dashboard a few times while turning the key, saying a silent prayer for it to start.

When the car finally kicked to life, Chanyeol breathed a sigh of relief. He shifted into reverse and left for work.

***

Chanyeol arrived at the coffeehouse nearly 40 minutes after his shift was supposed to start. The lunch rush was nearly over and it was at a bit of a lull. He walked behind the counter and prepared to be chewed out by his manager.

“Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol winced. The manager, Jongdae, walked over to him with his arms crossed. He was frowning.

“Late again?” Jongdae said.

Chanyeol grinned sheepishly. “Hi Jongdae.”

“This is the third time this week you’ve showed up late to your shift.”

“Has it really been that many? It doesn’t feel like that many.”

“Chanyeol, tell me why even after switching you from morning to afternoon shifts, you’re still almost consistently late?”

“There’s no excuse, Jongdae. I’m sorry.” Chanyeol hung his head and shuffled his feet side to side.

Jongdae sighed. “Why haven’t I fired you yet?”

Chanyeol looked back up at Jongdae and smiled. “Because I’m so cute and charming?”

Jongdae shook his head at Chanyeol. “Just go get an apron and wash up, okay?” He sighed.

Chanyeol nodded and went into the back to put on an apron and clock in. “It won’t happen again, I promise!”

***

Kyungsoo needed to get off campus.

He didn’t know where he was going to go, exactly, but his roommates were being so irritating, he couldn’t even be at peace in his own room. He packed up his laptop in his bag and left.

After wandering around for a while, Kyungsoo ended up at a coffee shop. It was a small, hipster place with local art on the walls. The menu was handwritten and none of the furniture matched.

He approached the counter and examined the menu. One of the baristas was off to the side, cleaning one of the coffee makers. Kyungsoo didn’t know a lot about coffee so he thought maybe he’d ask him for a recommendation.

“Hi,” Kyungsoo said.

The barista didn’t acknowledge him. He didn’t move or look up; it was as if he hadn’t even heard Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo leaned forward on the counter in an attempt to get closer. “Hey!” he called out. He cleared his throat a few times before the barista finally stood up and looked at him.

“Oh, hey, I’m sorry. I can’t really hear all that well.” He pushed some of his hair behind his ear. “Despite these bad boys.”

Kyungsoo pursed his lips. “Um. Okay.”

He smiled. “Just a stupid joke. What can I do for you?”

“Coffee.”

“But...what kind of coffee?”

“I. I don’t know. What do you recommend?”

The barista tapped his chin. “Flaming idiot.”

Kyungsoo took a step back. “Excuse me?”

“Flaming idiot.”

“What are you saying to me?” Kyungsoo frowned.

“That’s my drink recommendation.”

“Are you being...serious? That’s not on the menu.”

He nearly choked on his words trying to recover. “Oh, no, I’m being serious–it’s new, for the fall time, it really is called the flaming idiot, I wasn’t insulting you...we haven’t had time to change the menu, and it’s seasonal, so…”

Kyungsoo squinted at him.

“It’s kind of spicy, right, it’s a cinnamon-flavored drink with lots of foam...and we put cinnamon sprinkles on top. It’s not fake. I promise.” The barista bit his lip. “We–we can even make it iced, if that’s more your speed, though it’s starting to get cold out so I don’t know why you’d want iced coffee…”

“Why do you talk so much?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Oh, uh, wow, I’m sorry I’m just nervous because I keep showing up to my shift late and I’m afraid I’m going to lose my job and I didn’t want you to think I was being rude to you so you’d complain to my manager and I would get fired. That’s all.”

“Can you please just make me some coffee? I’ll take it. The idiot.” Kyungsoo placed money on the counter.

“Coming right up.” He took the money and rang up the drink. “Hot or iced?”

“Hot.”

He pulled a cup for hot drinks from the stack. He picked up a pen from next to the register and poised with it in one hand and the cup in the other. “Name?”

Kyungsoo looked around. The place was absolutely empty. There was no one else there. Why did he need his name?

“...Kyungsoo.”

The barista pulled a pen from the cup next to the register and wrote ‘Kyungsoo’ on the cup. “I’ll have this for you in just a few minutes!”

Kyungsoo nodded tersely. That was definitely one of the more surreal interactions he’d had lately. He took his change and walked to one of the tables and got out his laptop.

“Peace and quiet,” he murmured to himself. He opened up his laptop and was about to settle in and maybe get some studying done, until he heard his name being called from the back.

“Kyungsoo!”

Way too loud for this empty shop.

Kyungsoo pushed his chair back and retrieved his coffee from the counter. The barista grinned at him. “This is only the second time I’ve made one of these. I hope you like it.”

That didn’t sound very promising to Kyungsoo.

“Thanks,” he said. He put a sleeve on the warm cup. He was about to turn around and leave when the barista spoke up again.

“By the way, we accept tips.” He tapped the jar sitting on the counter. It was tragically empty. “I wasn’t here this morning and nobody really gets tips except me.” He smiled.

Kyungsoo smirked. “Here’s a tip. If you’re worried about losing your job, stop being late for work.”

“That’s a good one.” The barista leaned on one of his elbows on the counter and rested his head in his hand. “I’m Chanyeol.”

“Nice to meet you.” Kyungsoo picked up his drink and awkwardly raised it to Chanyeol, as if toasting him. He felt awkward and immediately went back to the table.

“Just let me know if there’s anything else you need!” Chanyeol hollered.

Kyungsoo settled back into his chair and took the lid off the cup to let it cool down. The scent of cinnamon was almost immediately overwhelming. There were so many red cinnamon candy sprinkles on top of the foam you almost couldn’t see any of it underneath.

Gingerly, Kyungsoo brought the cup to his lips and took a tiny sip. The taste of cinnamon almost overpowered the disgusting taste of the coffee itself, and it was scalding hot. Kyungsoo set the cup down as fast as he could without spilling.

This was bad coffee. Really bad coffee.

Kyungsoo walked back to the counter.

“Can I please have a cup of ice water?”

Chanyeol looked up from where he was organizing the coffee beans. “Oh, sure.” He grabbed a plastic cup and scooped some ice chips in it, and then filled it with tap water. “Do you want a lid or a straw?”

“No thanks.” Kyungsoo took the water from him and downed it immediately.

“Wow, coffee makes you pretty thirsty, huh?” Chanyeol laughed.

Kyungsoo set the cup down and wiped the water from his upper lip. “Sure does.” He took the cup of ice back to his table and got back on his laptop.

***

Chanyeol’s shift was half over when business started to pick up and he was joined by his coworker Sehun, someone much better than him at making coffee.

Sehun manned the front while Chanyeol went back to do the more unglamorous work in the back like washing the dishes, sweeping, and cleaning.

Chanyeol put the broom back and picked up a washcloth and a spray bottle of disinfectant. He started spraying down tables on the fringes of the shop and wiping them down–more or less busy work, because he had nothing else to do while Sehun took and made orders. Jongdae was in the back doing whatever it was he did as the manager, and Chanyeol got tired of standing around after he finished sweeping.

He made his way from the tables by the walls and to the ones where people had been sitting. Discarded napkins, crumbs, plastic silverware and pools of coffee and tea littered the tables. Why didn’t people clean up after themselves? At least it gave Chanyeol something to do.

Chanyeol noticed that Kyungsoo was still there. He was sitting at a small table near the window, on his laptop with headphones in. He looked so serious. He must have been studying.

Chanyeol smiled and tried to get a glimpse of his laptop screen. He couldn’t help being nosy. He was bored and his shift was almost over.

Kyungsoo shifted in his chair when he sensed someone behind him. He looked behind him and saw Chanyeol lingering over his shoulder, trying to get a glance.

Kyungsoo frowned and closed his laptop abruptly. He pulled his headphones out and glared at Chanyeol, who was grinning.

“Sports anime?”

Kyungsoo said nothing.

“Sorry. My shift is almost over and I’m just killing time. And I can’t believe how long you’ve been here!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize there was a time limit.” Kyungsoo took his headphones out of the jack in his laptop and started to put it away in his backpack. “I’ll just be going then.”

“No, wait. That’s not it. I’m sorry!” Chanyeol laughed. “I think you’re cute.”

“...what?”

“Well, what I mean is...I don’t usually do this. I’m not usually like this, ever. But I just think you’re cute and you’re making me feel weirder than usual...I would normally not act like this, but something about you makes me want to get to know you and maybe be your friend. Or something.”

Kyungsoo’s face turned pink and turned away from Chanyeol. “T-Thanks.”

“Do you think I could maybe get your phone number?”

“Um.” Kyungsoo rubbed his neck. “Yeah. Yeah, you can.”

Chanyeol grinned. “Awesome.”

“Um...here…” Kyungsoo handed Chanyeol his phone. “Just put your number in here…”

Chanyeol took the phone from Kyungsoo. Their hands touched briefly and Kyungsoo snatched his hand back quickly. He balled his hand into a fist at his side and watched Chanyeol type in his number.

Chanyeol’s hands dwarfed Kyungsoo’s phone. It looked absurdly tiny in his hands.

His big hands.

Kyungsoo rubbed his neck again.

Chanyeol handed Kyungsoo his phone back. He smiled. “Just text me with your name so I know who you are.”

“Uh. Yeah. Got it. Will do.” Kyungsoo fumbled his phone back into his pocket. “I will. Do that.”

“I’ve got to finish cleaning these tables before I can clock out. But, text me, alright? I need to figure out when I’m free and you let me know when you are.”

“D-Definitely.” Kyungsoo slung his bag onto his back. “I have to go.”

“Okay!” Chanyeol hopped to the next table. “Text me!”

Kyungsoo nodded tersely and left the shop.

Chanyeol blew through cleaning the rest of the tables and went to the back to ask Jongdae about his schedule.

“Jongdae? I don’t work tomorrow, do I?”

“Are you serious?” Jongdae scowled at Chanyeol. “Yes, you do!” He rubbed his temples. “Be here tomorrow morning at 10. Please, try not to be late.”

“I won’t be! I promise!” Chanyeol grabbed Jongdae by the shoulders and gave him a shake. “No more clocking in half an hour late. I promise!”

“Stop shaking me! Just follow through.” Jongdae sighed. “Now go, get out of here.”

Chanyeol untied his apron and shoved it in Jongdae’s arms. “See you tomorrow!”

***

On his walk home, Kyungsoo pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, looking for Chanyeol’s name.

He found it eventually, under “flaming idiot p. chanyeol.”

Kyungsoo shook his head and started laughing. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and brought his hand over his mouth to conceal his laughter.

He liked this barista.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it. This was originally supposed to be a one-shot but I decided a two part story would work best.
> 
> [The Fool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKF4WZay0CU) by Ryn Weaver


End file.
